Arayes

OferL · 07-29-2019, 04:30 AM

Arayes is a way of cooking ground meat inside a pita. An arabic dish from Lebanon or Syria. It's a hit with most people as a starter or main. Depends on how much you eat. I didn't get photos during preparation but it's really very simple and you don't have to follow the recipe precisely. Just use what you like.

Strat with pitas. They need to be thick. Thick bread will hold the meat and absorb the fat and juices without falling apart. You need white bread pitas. Whole grain will definitely fall apart. You want a nice size pita too. Get some pitas and cut in half.

Now ground meat. Traditional arayes is made with ground lamb. Ground beef will also do. Get 80-20 fat. 2 pounds will fill about 5 pitas or 9-10 halves. Mix the ground meat with seasoning. Traditional seasoning for 2 pounds:
1 TBS cumin
2 TBS minced garlic
1/2 mid size thin diced union
1 twig of thin diced parsley

You don't need to follow this. Just put whatever you like. Add heat as much or as little as you like. Mix and let rest 1-2 hours in the fridge.
Make some baste for the pitas. You can just use olive oil. I like to add more flavour:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 TBS paprika
1/2 TBS cumin
1/2 TBS dried thyme or oregano

Mix all together and get a brush.
Set your grill to two zone cooking. You treat this thing as a steak.
Stuff the halved pitas with a hand full of meat. Don't over stuff. The sides need to be flat. Make sure the meat reaches the depth of the pita.
Brush each side with the baste. Don't forget the round bottom and the top where the meat pops out.

Cooking starts with the flat top where the pita was cut and the meat shows. Give it a nice sear. I won't write times cause it depends on how hot your grill is. Drop them to one side. Sear and flip. Being oiled means they won't stick to your grates. Once three sides are seared move to the indirect zone. Keep cooking to your favored doneness. I like medium for ground meat. You should use a temp probe and pull them the way you like.

Serving is done by cutting the halves in two. ie quarters...
Eat as is or dip in hummus, tehina, bbq sauce, whatever.
Eat with your hands and get a lot of napkins. It's messy and good.

Stingerhook · 07-29-2019, 05:43 AM

Yes please, with all the info how can I not try doing them. Thanks.

Ron_L · 07-29-2019, 06:53 AM

That sounds good!

Thanks for the detailed post

Big George's BBQ · 07-29-2019, 07:09 AM

Heck yes That looks and sounds amazing

OferL · 07-29-2019, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingerhook

Yes please, with all the info how can I not try doing them. Thanks.

I thought the photos would make the sale...

legendaryhog · 07-29-2019, 11:19 AM

Wow, that looks really, really good. Stolen by me. Will attempt.

SmokinJohn · 07-29-2019, 12:07 PM

Yes, I will NOT attempt to make these on my Blackstone sometime in the next 30 days.

16Adams · 07-29-2019, 02:00 PM

Talent. Very nice

SMetroHawkeye · 07-29-2019, 06:45 PM

Killer-B OferL! This looks amazing... definitely taking this for a test drive!

LYU370 · 07-29-2019, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OferL

Looks great! But what if you use thin pitas? I don't think I've ever seen pitas that thick before.

BillN · 07-29-2019, 07:43 PM

Definitely something I could see myself enjoying.

Evan · 07-30-2019, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokinJohn

Yes, I will NOT attempt to make these on my Blackstone sometime in the next 30 days.

I was just thinking
"Brown on Blackstone, finish to temp indirect on Weber".

OferL · 07-30-2019, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LYU370

Looks great! But what if you use thin pitas? I don't think I've ever seen pitas that thick before.

I believe they'll break. All the liquid inside and the baste outside plus the pressure from the meat. A thin wall of bread won't hold. If breaks a little then no big deal. Just flatten it and keep cooking. But if it falls apart then it's kind of over.

OferL · 07-31-2019, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evan

I was just thinking
"Brown on Blackstone, finish to temp indirect on Weber".

I don't think it'll work. The drippings on a grate go down to the coals. On a griddle the liquid will stay under the pita. Keeping it from toasting. You want it crispy on the outside.

07-29-2019, 04:30 AM	#1
OferL is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-30-16 Location: Israel	Arayes Arayes is a way of cooking ground meat inside a pita. An arabic dish from Lebanon or Syria. It's a hit with most people as a starter or main. Depends on how much you eat. I didn't get photos during preparation but it's really very simple and you don't have to follow the recipe precisely. Just use what you like. Strat with pitas. They need to be thick. Thick bread will hold the meat and absorb the fat and juices without falling apart. You need white bread pitas. Whole grain will definitely fall apart. You want a nice size pita too. Get some pitas and cut in half. Now ground meat. Traditional arayes is made with ground lamb. Ground beef will also do. Get 80-20 fat. 2 pounds will fill about 5 pitas or 9-10 halves. Mix the ground meat with seasoning. Traditional seasoning for 2 pounds: 1 TBS cumin 2 TBS minced garlic 1/2 mid size thin diced union 1 twig of thin diced parsley You don't need to follow this. Just put whatever you like. Add heat as much or as little as you like. Mix and let rest 1-2 hours in the fridge. Make some baste for the pitas. You can just use olive oil. I like to add more flavour: 1/2 cup olive oil 1 TBS paprika 1/2 TBS cumin 1/2 TBS dried thyme or oregano Mix all together and get a brush. Set your grill to two zone cooking. You treat this thing as a steak. Stuff the halved pitas with a hand full of meat. Don't over stuff. The sides need to be flat. Make sure the meat reaches the depth of the pita. Brush each side with the baste. Don't forget the round bottom and the top where the meat pops out. Cooking starts with the flat top where the pita was cut and the meat shows. Give it a nice sear. I won't write times cause it depends on how hot your grill is. Drop them to one side. Sear and flip. Being oiled means they won't stick to your grates. Once three sides are seared move to the indirect zone. Keep cooking to your favored doneness. I like medium for ground meat. You should use a temp probe and pull them the way you like. Serving is done by cutting the halves in two. ie quarters... Eat as is or dip in hummus, tehina, bbq sauce, whatever. Eat with your hands and get a lot of napkins. It's messy and good.

07-29-2019, 05:43 AM	#2
Stingerhook somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 02-13-12 Location: SE Florida Name/Nickname : Marty	Yes please, with all the info how can I not try doing them. Thanks. __________________ Marty UDS now gone, WSM 18", WSM 22" and pellet pooper in the garage for 18 months now.

07-29-2019, 06:53 AM	#3
Ron_L Moderator Join Date: 12-09-04 Location: Wandering, but not lost Name/Nickname : Captain Ron	That sounds good! Thanks for the detailed post __________________ "Ron Rico, Boss. You can call me Captain Ron..." Naked Fatties Rock! PKGo X 2/PK360/Weber Q1000/Blackstone Camping Griddle/Pit Boss Pro Series 850

07-29-2019, 07:09 AM	#4
Big George's BBQ somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 02-07-08 Location: Framingham, MA Name/Nickname : George	Heck yes That looks and sounds amazing __________________ Large BIG Green EGG- Hatched 8/17/09 Backwoods Extented Party- sold Weber Genesis Gasser Mid Atlantic BBQ Association KCBS Back Porch BBQ Competition BBQ Team Proud Member of the Zero Club When all else fails ask yourself WWGALD

07-29-2019, 11:19 AM	#6
legendaryhog is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 03-08-13 Location: LawrenceFarkingKansas	Wow, that looks really, really good. Stolen by me. Will attempt. __________________ -jeremiah LG BGE-Brinkman Cimmaron-Custom Pull-behind (old grade school boiler)-Weber Kettle-DCS 30" some say he's dead...some say he never will be.

07-29-2019, 12:07 PM	#7
SmokinJohn Babbling Farker Join Date: 10-15-12 Location: Anaheim, CA	Yes, I will NOT attempt to make these on my Blackstone sometime in the next 30 days. __________________ Double Barrel Drum Smoker, UDS, ECB, Char-Broil gas grill & charcoal grills, Smokey Joe - Certified Moink Baller

07-29-2019, 02:00 PM	#8
16Adams somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-16-13 Location: USA	Talent. Very nice __________________ Tiernan SOB34, Primo Oval XL, Oklahoma Joe's Bronco, Oklahoma Joe's Highland, Pit Boss Austin XL, Pit Boss Table Top

07-29-2019, 06:45 PM	#9
SMetroHawkeye Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 12-03-17 Location: North Loop Minneapolis Name/Nickname : Hawkeye	Killer-B OferL! This looks amazing... definitely taking this for a test drive! __________________ [B]Current Corral:[/B] LSG VO 24” ([I]Li’l Herky[/I]); MAK Two-Star General ([I]Mando[/I]); PK360 with GrillGrates ([I]Galgadot[/I]); Vision Pro Kamado ([I]Punkinhead[/I]); WSM 22” ([I]The Droid[/I]); Weber Kettle ([I]Dory[/I]); Bull Angus ([I]Gasser[/I])

07-29-2019, 07:43 PM	#11
BillN somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 03-14-16 Location: St David, Az. Name/Nickname : Bill	Definitely something I could see myself enjoying. __________________ Bill, from Cochise County Arizona LSG 24 X 36 Horizonatal Offset w/warming oven, 32" fire pit with swinging cooking grate, PK 360 w/Grill Grates